Big Problems Demand Big Solutions

It was revealed in Rochester this week that history is yet again repeating itself. Another planned "no confidence" vote for the city school superintendent, union rebellion over tenure and more dysfunction.

Unfortunately history continues to repeat itself with student achievement as well as in 2013 just 5% of city students were deemed proficient in math and English and Rochester test results placed dead last in the state among the large cities. Only 6% of seniors leaving high school were deemed college ready. And yet the decade long cries for more money have resulted in one of the best funded districts in the nation with an annual budget now exceeding $700,000,000.

The toxic culture that has evolved over time has been so institutionalized that the solutions being offered, whether a new school opening or even more computer funding are ideas just nipping at the edges of the needed fix. The city school system needs to be re-booted. It seems evident that the only solution is to start all over.

Other cities have and are continuing to take revolutionary steps to reform their failing schools. Our community and elected leaders should study and understand other national reform initiatives in detail, whether in New Orleans or through think tanks such as CEE Trust. Accelerating the charter school movement is just one idea for reform. The best charter schools in Rochester are achieving test score results on par with the suburbs. We need to open more of these schools and as fast as possible while embracing charter law that dictates that non performing charters be closed.

Another idea is to dismantle the district into a number of smaller autonomous units to allow more ownership and control by the principals and teachers, while curtailing the many onerous and self defeating union work rules. Longer school days and school years, mandatory teacher training and data driven curriculum are all ideas worth implementing.

For the sake of over 30,000 children enrolled in city schools and for the sake of our city that will depend on the achievements of those children, let's not let history repeat itself any longer when it comes to educational performance.